on4now4 Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 I'm looking to get a gps sometime soon for all these back roads i drive it would be very helpful. but i cant seem to find what brand gets the best signal strength in the middle of nowhere in a forest. I have narrowed it down to garmin and magellan because of there maping data provider NAVTEQ instead of Tele Atlas that tom tom uses. has anyone really gone on some very secluded back roads with there garmin or Magellan how is the signal strength? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skullzaflare Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 I'm looking to get a gps sometime soon for all these back roads i drive it would be very helpful. but i cant seem to find what brand gets the best signal strength in the middle of nowhere in a forest. I have narrowed it down to garmin and magellan because of there maping data provider NAVTEQ instead of Tele Atlas that tom tom uses. has anyone really gone on some very secluded back roads with there garmin or Magellan how is the signal strength?i have a older garmin, and the only time i ever true "lost" signal was on a mountain mine had a bug a while back where it would turn on and never find signal, updates fixed that also, make sure you get something above bottom line. bottom line has a base map, and doesnt have all roadsi (installed) updated the map pack to a higher end map Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killtodie Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 Garmin 4tw. The only place I have a bad signal is downtown, I get signal but it cant figure out where I'm going. One time it thought I was going at 800mph. I think it switch satellites or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skullzaflare Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 (edited) Garmin 4tw. The only place I have a bad signal is downtown, I get signal but it cant figure out where I'm going. One time it thought I was going at 800mph. I think it switch satellites or something.i had that before lol showed 800mph or somethingi was like HAHA looked to see if it saved my new top speed but it didnt Edited December 4, 2010 by Skullzaflare Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQF Posted December 4, 2010 Report Share Posted December 4, 2010 I've used Garmin both in the US and in other countries with great luck. For deep woods nowhere stuff under heavy canopy I have a 3ft antenna that plugs into the side. It has worked fine so far. I don't think it has ever failed me when I needed it and THOUGHT it should work. Pretty much if it wasn't working I was somewhere that I figured it wouldn't work. This is out with an older (2000? or so) GPSII unit. I've got Nuvi's in all the cars and Garmin city on my winmo phone. I don't have any experience with any other brands though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
on4now4 Posted December 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 well its good to know everyone likes there garmin's i should probably mention that i really don't care at all about its ability to actually direct me somewhere. because when i am in a rally my navigator has all the directions i just need it to be pinpoint accurate and not lose signal in forests. but from what i have read garmin is the best at finding a good route anyway lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killtodie Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 My Garmin does take me the long way around a lot of times. I have to reset the location for it to figure out a more direct route. For example, I will be leaving my house and set a direction and depends which local street I'm on it will tell me two completely different routes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skullzaflare Posted December 5, 2010 Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 My Garmin does take me the long way around a lot of times. I have to reset the location for it to figure out a more direct route. For example, I will be leaving my house and set a direction and depends which local street I'm on it will tell me two completely different routes.on a few occasions mines tried to send me down a 1 way street, the wrong way lol luckly i catch it lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
on4now4 Posted December 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2010 so, I'm leaning toward the nuvi 1350... my only worry is that the 1350 does not have the "Lifetime Maps" that say the 1350LMT has. is it worth it to spend the extra money to get the lifetime maps? it seems like there would still be a way to update the maps even if you have a unit that does not have "Lifetime Maps"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQF Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 I "know a guy" that always updates his maps by downloading them and using a keygen found on the internet. I'm just saying............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
on4now4 Posted December 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 ok thats pretty much what i figured just wanted to make sure lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killtodie Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 Maps cost like $50 or $250 for lifetime. I never tried doing the hack thing, probably should, my GPS maps are over 4 years old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAinsworth Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 Maps cost like $50 or $250 for lifetime. I never tried doing the hack thing, probably should, my GPS maps are over 4 years old So your gps is as lost as you are .....j/kJimmy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrazilBoy Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 So your gps is as lost as you are .....j/kJimmy but its diamond plated and ziptied to his dash.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clayton Blackwell Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 I have all a couple of Garmins, Tom Tom, and Magellan. The magellan was the worst. Tom Tom comes at 2nd worst... Garmin, I will never leave. I'm currently using the Garmin Nuvi wide screen. easy to use, alot of options to play with, and gives and sets the easiest directions. Also I have never had a signal issue like I have with the Tom Tom. The Magellan was really slow, most complicating directions (tom tom does this also) no matter on which setting, and just quit working after about 8 months. my 2 cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carguygibby Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 Garmin, best bang for the buck.Colinhttp://www.starquestclub.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starfighterpilot Posted December 6, 2010 Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 I've got a Garmin Nuvi in my Starion with a set of maps that are 2 years old. During the past two years of driving the Old Broad about 65K miles, from Atlanta North to Chicago twice; a round trip from Tulsa to the West Coast thru almost every state West of Tulsa; numerous round trips North/South/East/West from Tulsa to various Western and Mid-Western states; one round trip from Tulsa to Northern Florida, and many round trips from Atlanta to Tulsa, I have only lost the signal when going thru tunnels in the Western US mountain ranges, and during a bad rain storm when I was driving in a deep valley in Glacier Intl. Peace Park, when I pulled over into a turn out to wait the storm out (then I only had 1-2 bars of signal strenght to begin with). The only missing map that I have ever had is the Southern most 20 miles of US 78 (I-22) just before Birmingham AL. As Toadie said above, sometimes the Garmin does take the long route to some destination when city driving. The only slight problem I have with it: you can not just punch in a city/town and have it calculate a route/mileage to it from where you are. You have to enter a street address. <_> I also like the additional trip info and toys that it provides. For What It's Worth. KEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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